Beast Beaters Adjustment To Flank Alignment
Today FirstDown PlayBook wants to build on our youth football defense we call Beast Beaters. The Beat Beaters adjustment that we will cover is a natural progression. We expected that when youth coaches started playing this silly formation correctly the ball would bounce and it seems that it has. We said that there would be an adjustment to this and the Beast offense coaches would get frustrated with the rugby pile that was being created.
So now that this is happening there are a couple of things to note. The video below looks at a version of the Beast offense that I believe they call “worm”. It is just a exaggerated version of any flank offense. The good thing is that this is getting back to a normal football formation. It’s not there yet but with an adjustment or two you will tame the Beast and never see it again.
Your Beast Beaters Defense Has Forced This Flank Formation. Now What?
We have been seeing a lot of youth football coaches who run the the Beast offense complaining about piles of bodies. Meaning that the Beast Beaters defensive line is submarining the gaps and bouncing this silly offense to the sideline. That’s a good thing. The original Beast offense that you see above, with all of the backs in the A/B/C gaps is begging to have those inside gaps submarined. The goal? Make the football bounce of course.
So when they move the backs on the flank like you will see in the video below, there are a couple of things to note. First, the quarterback is still the only real threat to carry the ball. Yes there could be a jet sweep runner with the 2 back but that’s a long way to go and any penetration will destroy that play. The player to stop remains the quarterback and the play is the quarterback run, not the pass.
The QB Will Carry The Ball & They Want a C Or D Gap Play
The second thing of note is that it is a long long way to the perimeter on the strong side of this formation. The Beast coaches know this. That’s why they are not going to try to run a sweep here. This would give your free safety and two linebackers way too mush time to track it down. They want to run a power play in the gaps C/D or wider gaps. They want a down, down, kick out scheme.
Because of this, you need to adjust your Beast Beaters defense accordingly. In the video below, we take you through a common sense adjustment to this flank version of the Beast offense. Before you watch the video I want to make a very important point. You do not need a lot of different defenses to stop this offense.
You will need a base Beast Beaters defense to stop the base Beast formation and one adjustment to this flank version. This offense is so limited once you take away the base plays that you will play into their hands if you have a lot of different defenses. Run two or three defenses and run them well. it’s all you will need.
NFL Coaches On 6 Sound Youth Football Defenses
Finally, on our way out today I want to make the point that you will need your “normal” defense to be ready. At some point these coaches will get frustrated and move those backs where they should be…behind the quarterback. When the Beast Beaters defense forces them to play real football you will need to check to your base defense to defend it.
